Coffee
by Her Madjesty
Summary: He likes his black, and she likes hers with chocolate. This has little to do with their story, but draws them together all the same. It's warm, and comforting, just like him.


_A/N Hullo again! This is a story that somehow spiraled way out of control and ended up being the monstrosity it is. I really hope that you all enjoy it. Let me know what you think! How can I improve?_

_And please, don't say that I could improve the title. I ended up going on a tangent about coffee, which I don't like to begin with, and figured that I could use it as a title. I'm terrible at titles._

_Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me. I have no idea if they like coffee or not. But that doesn't matter. Just have fun._

* * *

The snow fell thick and fast as they ran through the woods, Sven leading the charge down the mountainside. Anna stumbled in the deepening snow, laughing as she sank in to her thighs. Kristoff raced on ahead of her, ducking through the forest of evergreens. His laughter boomed in the crisp winter air, rumbling with the power of the mountainside.

"Come on, you!" He laughed after her, slowing his pace and looking back at her. She was a sight, waist deep in the snow and unable to move, struggling to take a step. Sven looked back, tongue lolling out of his mouth in the equivalent of a smile.

"I'm a bit stuck, I think." She said, trying to lift her feet out from the growing pile of snow. Kristoff's bright eyes glittered with amusement as he made his way back up the hill to her side, chuckling all the way. "That's the problem with you short people." He said good naturedly, taking her arms with a firm but gentle grip. "Always getting yourselves into trouble." She was out of the snow in a moment, held high in the air as Kristoff moved to set her back on her feet.

"Thank you." Anna stumbled and laughed before presenting him with a mock curtsey. "My hero!" She batted her eyelashes playfully, keeping her hands out of sight as she gathered up a ball of snow behind her back. With a leap and a cheer, she smushed it into Kristoff's face and started off down the hillside.

"Hey!" He laughed, wiping the powdery snow from his eyes. "That wasn't very nice!" "Sorry!" Anna shouted back. Kristoff could see the mischief sparkling in her eyes from the top of the hill, and didn't believe her for a minute. He started after her at a run, his long legs making quick work of the distance between them. Like a bull, he charged, lifting her up over his shoulders. His laughter bellowed against her shrieks. Her feet pounded against his chest, but did no real harm. "Is that how we thank our rescuers?" He asked, jostling her just to hear her shriek again. She tightened her grip on the back of his shirt in an attempt not to fall off.

"I said I was sorry, you goof!" she shouted. "Yeah, I'm sure you are." He replied, waiting a moment for her to calm down. He turned her head and saw her bright face grinning back at him. "You'd get stuck up here without me, you know that?" He laughed, moving down the hillside at a steady pace.

"Not true!" she said defiantly. "I could make it down all right. I'm not as hopeless as you think I am, mister." She stared up at him, all her tiger fierceness reflected in her eyes.

"Of course you could, your highness." Her grin disappeared a little at his use of her title, but was back when she saw the mischief dancing in his eyes.

"Let's see how that works out for you, shall we?" Without warning, he unceremoniously dumped her back into the snow banks behind him. He could hear her disgruntled huffing from beneath the snow, and chuckled a little as he started to walk away.

"I'll meet you at the cabin before sundown, alright?" he shouted back, already disappearing over the hillside.

"Kristoff!" She shouted after him, her voice muffled by the snow. Kristoff didn't slow his pace, only chuckling and little as he patted Sven on the side. "Stay with her, alright?" he said, sending the reindeer back to the fallen lady. Sven snorted and planted his muzzle against Kristoff's cheek, causing the man to laugh and swat him away before watching him trot over the hill.

XXX

Anna felt Sven nuzzling her side as she wrestled herself out of the snow, and laughed as the reindeer started drooling happily on her boots. Her head poked out of the snow, bright red against all the white froth. She looked around, up into the trees and the purple-pink sky, and lay back, exhausted. Sven snuffed her hair and settled in next to her, not eager to get back up and start charging down the hill again. Anna cuddled into his fur and scratched him behind the ear, much to his delight.

"Did mean ole Kristoff really decided to leave us here?" She asked of the reindeer, who looked at her with wide, beseeching eyes. "Of course he did." She replied, continuing to scratch behind Sven's ear. "He's just a big ole meanie-head, isn't he?" Sven nodded his agreement, and Anna broke into laughter.

She lay curled in the fur of the reindeer, sinking a little deeper into the ever falling snow around her. The sky was losing its pinks to the power of the purples, and the deep, unforgiving clouds gathered deep in the belly of the sky. There would be no stars tonight, Anna knew, and she sighed a little with disappointment. No matter. The snowflakes looked enough like stars themselves.

"Isn't it beautiful, Sven?" She asked, and received a huff of agreement. "Let's stay here a while, give him a little scare. Yeah?" Sven looked at her curiously, and she started to laugh. "Don't worry! We'll get you home in time for supper." She cuddled into his side a little deeper, and he brayed happily, nuzzling her hair. "Let's just watch the sky."

XXX

Kristoff made it to his cabin before the sky lost the sun, and stayed leaning on the side of the wood, huffing to catch his breath. He looked behind him and gave a short laugh. Both Anna and Sven were long out of sight, probably still wrestling with the snow on the side of the hill. Hopefully the two of them would take long enough for him to get the coffee beans brewing over the fire. He chuckled and headed inside, shuffling around the fireplace to start warming the cabin.

The trolls had helped him make this little hide away, deep in the snows of the western mountains. It was made from their magic and the wood he had cut himself, and had once been a place he had rarely retreated to. More and more often, now, he found himself coming back here. Probably because of the bubbling red head who had taken over so much of his life.

Anna had been an unexpected character in his life, and had completely wrecked the quiet, stoic walls he had pulled in tightly around himself through the years. She was full of surprises, that girl, more of which he discovered every day.

Coffee had been one of those surprises. It was hell to brew, but he liked the smoky taste of it against his mouth, so he went to effort. Anna loved to mix it with some of the deep, dark chocolate that could be bought in the city. They had bonded over it, one day, after he had half dragged her down from the snowy slopes and back to the warmth of the city. He had bought a cup for himself from one of the men behind the stands, and Anna had stolen a sip or two when she thought he wasn't looking. He laughed as she wrinkled her nose and asked the vendor if he had any chocolate. He sold her some for less than Kristoff believed it was worth, and she had melted it into his coffee without a second thought. She had cradled the cup in her hands and purred, delighted at the taste. At some point, he had stolen it back from her and tasted it for himself, and he had to admit, it wasn't bad. Now, much to his half-hearted disgust, he had a package of chocolate just for when she came to visit hidden away in the cupboards.

He glanced out the window and chuckled again, taking in the dying pink sky. If the winds were blowing in his favor tonight, Anna might have to stay with him tonight instead of going back to the castle. By the looks of the sky, they were all in for an overdue winter storm. He grinned to himself for a moment, imagining the little joys of having her only a room away.

He daydreamed of her lips on his, of her buried deep in his bed, of waking up to her every morning. Nothing wrong a few dreams, he told Sven. The reindeer only scoffed at him. At this point, though, it seemed as though sharing a cup of coffee was as close as he was going to get.

The princess was beautiful, and there was no denying it. The princess was his friend, an adventurer, and a companion in more than one way. He loved every moment he got to spend with her, but not because she was beautiful. When he saw Anna, charging down the mountainsides with the sun in her hair, he saw her spirit, shining brighter than any midwinter sunset he had ever seen.

Somewhere amidst his dreaming, Kristoff got the fire up and going. He stood and brushed the ash from his sleeves, and glanced out the window again, towards the gradually setting sun. A small frown creased his brow for a moment, but it disappeared a moment later.

She'd be fine. She had Sven with her, and was resourceful enough, herself. The two of them would be home before he had the coffee ready.

XXX

The sun was drifting sleepily below the horizon when Anna opened her eyes. She sat up abruptly, waking the heavily sleeping reindeer that had served as her pillow. He blew a billow of air out his nostrils and shook the gathering snow from his coat, only slightly annoyed.

"C'mon, Sven." Anna struggled to raise herself out of the snow, falling back into the hole she had dug for herself more than once. "Time to wake up, pretty boy." It was almost a coo, and Sven snorted, but stood up straight, prancing impatiently beside her.

"You think he'll let us in?" she teased, trying to lift herself out of the hole for a third time. Sven snorted again, almost reassuringly, and bent his head, offering her his antlers to hold on to. Anna laughed and took them in hand, sighing with relief as the snow released its hold on her. Her mittened hands found warmer spots for themselves in the fur on Sven's neck, and they started to walk down the mountainside.

Anna looked into the darkening sky and saw the warheads gathering in the north, just beyond her sister's palace. Snow had been sprinkling the entire time they had been on the mountain, but it hadn't lessened since her unanticipated nap, and it didn't look like it had the mind to stop any time soon.

"B-b-bit silly of us to wait, wasn't it?" she chattered, flashing a nervous grin at the reindeer. Sven moved his head to look at her, doe eyes big and concerned. She just shook her head and continued to smile, purposefully ignoring the rattling of her teeth. "Let's just get back to Kristoff, alright?" She said softly. "I'm sure he has a big pot of coffee waiting for both of us."

XXX

It had long been dark by the time he heard Sven braying up on the mountainside. Kristoff was out the door in a minute, coatless and fierce against the heavily falling snow. Sven brayed again when he saw his friend, and Kristoff spotted Anna, dragging herself slowly down the hill at Sven's side.

The mountain man was up the hillside in a matter of moments and did not hesitate to lift the frozen princess into his arms.

"You—Anna!" His face broke with relief as she mewed and curled closer into his warmth. "What took you so long?" He asked, holding her tight.

"F-f-f-fell asleep." She said softly. "Sven, t-t-t-too. C-c-c-can we go inside, p-p-please?"

She was freezing, shaking like a leaf as Kristoff carried her in the front door of his cabin. The smell of wood dust, dark and strong, reached her nose, and she started coughing. Kristoff held her tighter to his chest and ducked under the doorway to the bedroom, moving to set her carefully on his bed.

Sven ducked in the doorway after them, shoving the door close with his back hooves. He settled himself by the fireplace, listening carefully to the noises coming from the bedroom.

"Why is it always this sort of thing that's happening to you?" Kristoff joked, looking around the room before finding one of the thick fur blankets to place over her small body. "N-n-n-no idea." She chattered back, wrapping it tightly around her. "L-l-l-l-l-l-low cold tolerance?"

"Couldn't be ironic enough, could you?" Kristoff huffed, while looking around the cozy room to find another blanket. He kept an eye on her as she curled deeper into his bed, and his natural smile dipped into a frown.

"Anna?" She looked up, eyes wide and scared, and his heart fluttered for a moment. Before logical though could take hold, he was in the bed beside her, wrapping her tight in his arms. "Let's not do that again, shall we?" She nodded her head quickly in agreement, and he chuckled softly.

The two of them rested together for a while, Anna curling tight into Kristoff's chest as he held her close, sharing what body heat he could offer. She was so little, tucking right into him like she belonged there.

"Anna?" he said again, after a while. She murmured into his chest, cuddling deeper against the cold. He chuckled and nuzzled her hair with his nose. "I've got coffee on the fire." He said softly. Anna moaned loudly and stretched, just missing hitting Kristoff on the nose.

"Coffee sounds good." She said sleepily. "Anything warm sounds good." He chuckled and lifted her from the bed, despite her groaning complaints.

She was light enough to balance in one arm while he grabbed a cup before setting her in front of the fire, right beside the sleeping reindeer. Anna lolled to the side and automatically cuddled into the reindeer as Kristoff dipped the cup into the pot boiling over the fire. He held it out for her and helped her cup her hands around it, carefully, to keep it from spilling.

"C'mon, Anna, drink up." He said, before getting up to find a cup of his own. He glanced back to see her sipping on it carefully, and coughing as it burnt her tongue. "You put chocolate in it!" her eyes glistened happily in the firelight. "Of course I did. I like it, too, you know." He said, almost defiant in his tone. From her place by the fire, Anna smiled and sipped her coffee again.

He came back and settled next to her, dipping his own cup into the pot and sipping it quickly. She chuckled as his face scrunched, trying to get past the burning sensation in his mouth. "Should probably have taken it off earlier." He muttered, moving the pot away from the center of the blaze.

Anna laughed softly and curled into his side again, staring into the center of the fire as she took another sip.

"I might've been able to do it." She said, cradling the cup in her hand. "Maybe, if I hadn't fallen asleep." "Sure you would've." Kristoff jostled her slightly, making her laugh. "The sister of the Snow Queen, defeated by a snow storm? That doesn't make sense."

Anna's laughter echoed through the cabin, echoed by Kristoff's own. Sven raised his head and stared between his two humans affectionately, before dozing back off with a quiet 'huff'.

XXX

The fire had died down to naught but ash when Kristoff opened his eyes again. The coffee cups had been place on the floor, thankfully, and nothing had spilled, but Anna was once again pressed close against his chest, curling up and hiding from the cold air that leaked through the chimney. He smiled and gathered her in his arms, shuffling the two of them away from the large, snoring reindeer.

He carried her back into the bedroom, nuzzling her awake as he set her down. "Stay." She murmured, rolling over and curling into the furs. He stopped moving for a moment, staring at the sleepy woman.

"Stay." She said, opening innocent eyes to look into his face. "Please."

He hesitated, fear and joy and utter, utter confusion blooming in his chest. "Alright." He said after a moment. "Alright, I'll stay."

She barely took up space in his over-large bed, and yet he was so careful as he climbed in next to her. His hand barely grazed her hip, but he caught his breath, and exhaled softly as he settled it there.

'Her clothes,' his brain nudged, trying to get him thinking again. 'Her clothes are still wet.' A heated blush overtook his face for a moment as that thought invaded his mind, and he shook himself to rush it away.

'She'll just keep freezing is she stays in her wet clothes.' His mind whispered, in a voice far too teasing to be his own. He huffed and shuffled a bit in the bed, before carefully taking Anna's shoulder and shaking her gently.

"Anna?" She looked up at him, confused and dreamy. "Yeah?" her voice was coated and husky with sleep.

Kristoff chuckled a little before turning it into a cough. "Your clothes, Anna." He said quietly. "You'll only be colder in wet clothes."

The princess's eyes, made heavy by sleep, merely fell shut again. "I'll take 'em off." She muttered grumpily, rolling out of the bed with all the grace of a half frozen reindeer. Kristoff couldn't help but smirk as she struggled to her feet, before moving to help her. "I've got a shirt you can borrow." He told her, once she was upright and stable. "Just stay here, alright?"

"Alright." Came the sleepy reply. Kristoff stood and ducked from the room, nearly bumping his head on the doorframe as he left.

There was a clean shirt hanging by the fireplace, thank the gods, and he grabbed it as quickly as he could without waking Sven. The reindeer lifted his head anyway, and gave the man a look that ever so clearly stated, 'You are going to cause yourself so much trouble tonight, young man, and you aren't even going to apologize'.

"Shut up." Kristoff huffed back, taking the shirt and heading back into the bedroom. "I'll buy you some carrots to make up for it."

He walked through the doorway of his bedroom, chuckling to himself, only to be greeted by a sleepy red head dressed in nothing but her shift. She had undone her hair more quickly than he could have possibly imagined, and it now lay in cascades across her shoulders.

"Hey." Her voice was soft, and she offered him a small smile as he stood, half gaping in the doorway. "Are you gonna give me that?" she asked, soft amusement tickling her voice.

He needed to stop staring. He needed to look away, look up, look at her face, _look somewhere else, dammit_, and give her the shirt. It was a monumental effort to move his eyes from her body,_ gods_, and meet her eyes once again.

"Sorry." He managed to sputter, nearly wincing as their hands brushed as he passed her his shirt. She only grinned up at him, sweet and sinful and _oh, I'm in trouble_.

"Could you help me?" She turned away from him, and he saw the ties that went on for miles down her back. "I can't get it off by myself." If he hadn't been so distracted, he would've heard the laughter in her voice.

"Uhm." It was all he could manage, at this point. Everything was warm, and hazy, and he wasn't quite sure what he was doing, but it was bringing him closer to Anna, and that was perfectly okay. His hands moved clumsily on the ties of her shift, and it slowly released its hold on her form, flowing long and loose against her body. He gulped and took a long step back, trying to fix his gaze on the ceiling and to get his body under control.

Anna lifted the shift from her body and stepped away from the man behind her, placing the shift into the pile of clothing that lay close to the window. Something between a growl and a groan was ripped from Kristoff's chest, and he turned his back to her, willing himself to calm, to focus.

"Kristoff?" her was so sweet, so concerned. She walked away from the window and to his side, her small hand resting on his shoulder. He shivered beneath her touch. "Kristoff, are you alright?"

"Anna." His voice sounded choked, and she could see him struggling to keep his eyes on her face as she turned to look at her. "You remember, in the village, right?"

"Remember what?" she asked, confused and concerned, moving that much closer to his side.

"The day I kissed you." He said breathlessly, squeezing his eyes shut as his brain spiraled out of control. Anna blinked, then flushed, and answered with a quiet, "Yes."

"Anna," Kristoff breathed, opening his eyes again. "I want to kiss you again." He chuckled to himself. Gods, that sounded cheesy.

"That's alright, Kristoff." Anna chuckled breathlessly, moving to place herself in front of him. "I want to kiss you again, too." There was a coy glint in her eye that he hadn't seen before, but even now, he only saw it for a moment.

He had been done for from the moment he first looked at her, he realized now. The petite little princess who had thrown a bag of supplies on his lap and had babied his uncooperative, stubborn reindeer had been destined to come smashing into his life like she had. He was completely done for now, as she stood on her toes and pressed those soft, tender lips against his in the middle of his bedroom.

Surrendering had never felt quite this good. In merely a moment he was holding her tightly in his arms, nearly crushing her against his body. Anna felt all the breath leave her body in a rush, and, in a moment, she was up on her toes again, pressing soft kisses to both of his cheeks.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, taking her by the shoulders and pressing his forehead to hers, moving to kiss her again. "Anna, I'm sorry. I just—". "I know." She whispered back, and she quickly pressed her fragile lips to his. "I understand. I do, too."

His moan rumbled through his chest, and Anna was in the air in a minute, holding tightly to the collar of his shirt as he kissed her, leaving her breathless and helpless to stop him. She kissed him back as fiercely as she could, tiger spirit growling and trying desperately to regain control.

How they ended up in the bed, either knew, but soon, Kristoff's shirt lay disgarded amongst Anna's dress and shift. She made an effort to explore the wide expanse before her, but he recaptured her lips as often as he could, managing to drive her senseless with only that unbelievable mouth of his.

"You've done this before." She gasped as she climbed on top of him, moaning loudly as he took one of her breasts in his hand and gave a light squeeze. "Maybe." He answered cheekily, watching as her eyes rolled back. He moved his thumb around the soft, white skin, gently playing with the rosy nipple. She writhed with pleasure and he grinned, moving back up to kiss her sweetly.

"Oh, yes you have." She growled, coming down on top of him, crushing their mouths together. Kristoff continued his ministrations, and her moans echoed into the living room, where Sven was pretending not to hear.

"Can you really complain?" Kristoff growled back at her, nipping at her bottom lip. Their tongues played, tasting the sweetness of chocolate and bitterness of sleep.

Kristoff's clothes came off slower than Anna's had, but soon, a complete pile lay on the floor, and the two of them remained perched against one another. Anna delicate hand placed with the blond curls low on Kristoff's stomach, and he growled into her mouth.

Her hand moved to explore his length, and he groaned, deep from his chest. His breath hitched as she reached the head, and there she stayed, listening to his breathing as she moved, up and down against the hardening member.

"Don't stop." He whispered, begged, both hands moving in circles against her breasts. Her eyelids fluttered with pleasure, and she did as he said, watching his jaw go slack as he moaned once again. His hands stopped moving on her breasts, and she felt a rush of heat as he seized beneath her. She squeezed the head of his member, hands covered with the evidence of his pleasure.

It took him a few minutes to calm, but he looked at her with wide eyes full of awe. He whispered her name in the darkness and claimed her lips once again, not with fierce passion, but with sweetness. She climbed into his lap and found her home there, and he covered them both with furs, keeping her close and wrapping her in his arms.

"Definitely not your first time, was it?" she whispered, a teasing tone in her voice.

"No." he said after a moment. "But the first time in a while." Anna only mewed in response and cuddled deeper into his chest. Kristoff nuzzled her hair and kissed her forehead ever so gently.

"It'll feel the same for you, I promise." He said sleepily. "Stick with me, just you wait." He was rewarded with a soft chuckle that served to help guide him off to sleep.

XXX

From the fireplace, Sven raised his head, tired eyes full of amusement. He could hear Kristoff's snores beginning, accompanied with Anna's softer breathing.

He had been waiting for this a long, long time. The silent house he had grown up in might never be the same again, not with Miss Anna as a fixture in Kristoff's life. But Sven didn't mind. He set his weary head down once again and drifted off to sleep, content.

Life was as it should be once again.


End file.
